Pole-top switch with vertically swingable switching arm



J. G. PAHL' Aug. 18, 1964 POLE-TOP SWITCH WITH VERTICALLY SWINGABLE SWITCHING ARM Filqd Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm mm mm INVENTOR. ubbp 6' Pd/I Aug. 18, 1964 J. G. PAHL v POLE-TOP SWITCH WITH VERTICALLY SWINGABLE SWITCHING ARM Filed Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 17 a4 31 29 a2 Ma o- United States Patent 3,145,273 POLE-TOP SWITCH WITH VERTICALLY SWINGABLE SWITCHING ARM John G. Pahl, Box 1257, Stockton, Calif. Filed (Pct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,448 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-48) This invention relates to electrical line-pole equipment, and particularly to pole-top switches such as are mounted on the cross-arm of a pole between adjacent line cables.

As ordinarily constructed, such switches require considerable lateral space in order for them to function, and hence only a very limited number of such switches can be mounted on a cross-arm in order to prevent interference of adjacent switches with each other.

It is therefore the major object of this invention to provide a ground-controlled pole-top switch which eliminates the objectionable feature above noted, and which is so constructed that the switch will be opened or closed by direct movement of a single switch blade in a vertical plane at a right angle to the longitudinal plane of the cross-arm, and the entire operating structure taking up less space, in a lateral direction, than the width of a circular insulator such as is commonly used on line pole cross-arms.

By reason of these features of construction, it is now possible to mount a considerable number of the improved switches on one cross-arm without danger of the switches interfering with each other.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a poletop switch with vertically swingable switching arm which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable pole-top switch with vertically swingable switching arm, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the improved cross-arm mounted switch structure, showing the switch closed.

FIG. 2 is a similar but fragmentary view, showing the switch open.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the switch structure, showing the switch closed.

FIG. 4 is a similar view, showing the switch open.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the switch structure of this invention is arranged to be mounted on and supported from a cross-arm 1, which as usual extends transversely from a line pole. Secured on the upper face of the cross-arm is a U-shaped bracket 2, which extends transversely of the cross-arm, or lengthwise of the circuit lines extending from pole to pole.

Supported by the bracket 2 in a suitable and conventional manner and projecting from one end thereof is an insulator unit 3. A rigid arm 4 extends axially outwardly from the insulator unit 3 and at its outerend 5 such arm is formed with an upwardly curving portion 6 which terminates in a horizontal portion 7 which is directly over and some distance above the initial or horizontal portion of said arm-4, as is'clearly shown in FIG. 1. A line cable 8 is anchored to a dead-end unit 9 which projects from said initial or horizontal portion of arm 4; said cable extending upwardly from unit 9 to a terminal clamp 10 secured on the upwardly curving portion 6 of arm 4, as is customary.

The female member 11 of the switch 12, and which member is of the common clip form open to the top, is

3,145,273 Patented Aug. 18, 1964;

i which latter member is of straight-blade form. This blade 14, when in its switch-closing position, is in a substantially horizontal plane, and extends lengthwise of the arm 4 and cable 8, and consequently transversely of the cross-arm 1, as clearly shown.

Another insulator unit 15 is secured on and upstands from the insulator unit 3 at the connection of the latter with the bracket 2; said unit 15 at its upper end being fitted with a horizontal plate 16 provided with transversely spaced ears. 17 that project therefrom in the direction of the switch member 11. These ears support a transverse pin 18 by means of which an ear-straddling yoke 19 is swingably connected thereto. This yoke projects from the adjacent end of an arm 20, which at its opposite end is connected to the switch blade 14 and is' alined therewith; said blade, the arm 20, and the yoke 19 together forming a rigid unit.

From the above description of parts, it will be seen that the switch blade 14 is mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane transversely of the cross-arm 1 (or parallel to the arm 4 and cable 8), and is thus movable between switch opening and closing positions in such plane. a

The necessary blade movement to open or close the switch 12 is imparted thereto from the ground by means of the structure now to be described.

Projecting from the bracket 2 in the opposite direction from the insulator unit 3 is another insulator unit 21, which at its outer end supports another line cable 22 in the same manner as cable 8 is supported from the unit 3,

as previously described. The insulator unit 21 is mounted in the bracket 2 in a generally conventional manner, as indicated at 23 in FIG. 1, for limited rotation about a horizontal axis, and such rotation is imparted thereto when desired by means of a push-pull rod 24 which depends from a radial arm 25 on the insulator unit 21 ad jacent the cross-arm 1. The insulator unit 21, like the insulator unit 3, includes an upwardly projecting arm 26 which terminates in a horizontal upper end portion 27 which faces the insulator unit 15 and is at a level adjacent that of the plate 16, as shown in FIG. 1.

A sleeve 28 is mounted on the upper end portion 27 and supports an upstanding pin 29 which projects through an elongated slot 30 in the long arm 31 of a horizontal bellcrank 32. This bellcrank is disposed above the plate 16 and is pivoted, as at 33, on such plate 16 in transversely oifset relation to the ears 17; the short arm 34 of said bellcrank extending over the plate 16 to a somewhat loose pivotal connection 35 with the adjacent end of a link 36. This link is generally parallel to the arm 29 and extends over the yoke 19' to a termination beyond said yoke, and is there somewhat loosely pivoted on a transverse pin 37 above and rigid with such arm 20.

By reason of the above described arrangement, it will be seen that as the insulator unit 21 is rotated about its bracket-mounted portion as an axis, by means of the pushpull rod 24, the upper end portion 27 will be swung from one side to the other of the vertical plane in which both of said portions lie when in a midway or neutral position.

The bellcrank 32 is arranged so that when the pin 29, carried by the upper end portion 27, is in one side position, said bellcrank will have been swung in a direction to cause the link 36 to be pushed so as to swing the arm 20 and the switch blade 14, carried thereby, to a substantially horizontal switch-closing position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. When, however, the upper end portion 27 is swung to the other side position the bellcrank 32 3 will be swung in a direction to impart a pull on the link 36, which will cause the arm 20 and switch blade 14 to be pulled up, about the pin 18 as an axis, to a switchopening position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

It will thus be seen that the switch will be opened and closed by movement of the switch blade in a vertical plane, so that a number of switches may be mounted on the cross-arm 1 in closely associated relation with each other without the possibility of interference.

In connection with the above structure, there is of course a slack bus cable 38 extending between and connected to the switch blade 14 and a clamp 39 on arm 26 to which the line cable 22 is anchored, as shown in FIG. 1.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A pole-top switch including, with a bracket adapted to be mounted on a cross-arm of the pole, and circuit-line supporting insulator units projecting in opposite directions from the bracket; a switch interposed between the circuit lines including a fixed member supported from one such unit and a movable blade disposed for cooperation therewith, means mounting the blade for swinging movement in a vertical plane transversely of the length of the cross-arm between switch opening and closing positions, a blade swinging mechanism supported from said one insulator unit and connected to the blade, and ground controlled means for actuating said mechanism, the other insulator unit being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis at right angles to the length of the cross-arm; said ground controlled means including a connection between said other insulator unit and the mechanism and functioning upon rotation of the former to actuate such mechanism, and means including a push-pull rod to rotate said other insulator unit.

2. A pole-top switch including, with a bracket adapted to be mounted on a cross-arm of the pole and circuit-line supporting insulator units projecting in opposite directions from the bracket; a switch interposed between the circuit lines and including a fixed member on one insulator and a movable blade arranged for cooperation therewith, an arm rigid with the blade and projecting therefrom in the direction of the other insulator unit, a third insulator unit projecting upwardly between the first named insulator units and rigid with said one insulator unit, means pivoting the arm at its outer end on top of the third insulator unit for swinging movement of the arm in a vertical plane transversely of the length of the cross-arm, a link extending lengthwise of the arm and pivotally connected thereto relatively close to the pivot thereof whereby to impart a swinging movement to the arm upon longitudinal movement of the link, and ground controlled means to thus move the link.

3. A pole-top switch including, with a bracket adapted to be mounted on a cross-arm of the pole and circuit-line supporting insulator units projecting in opposite directions from the bracket; a switch interposed between the circuit lines and including a fixed member on one insulator unit and a movable blade arranged for cooperation therewith, an arm rigid with the blade and projecting therefrom in the direction of the other insulator unit, a third insulator unit projecting upwardly between the first named insulator units and rigid with said one insulator unit, means pivoting the arm at its outer end on top of the third insulator unit for swinging movement of the arm in a vertical plane transversely of the length of the cross-arm, a link extending lengthwise of the arm and pivotally connected thereto relatively close to the pivot thereof whereby to impart a swinging movement to the arm upon longitudinal movement of the link, a horizontal bellcrank pivoted on top of the third insulator unit beyond the link and in laterally offset relation to the pivot of the arm and to the link, one arm of the bellcrank being connected to the outer end of the link, and ground controlled means to swing the bellcrank.

4. A pole-top switch including, with a bracket adapted to be mounted on a cross-arm of the pole and circuit-line supporting insulator units projecting in opposite directions from the bracket; a switch interposed between the circuit lines and including a fixed member on one insulator unit and a movable blade arranged for cooperation therewith, an arm rigid with the blade and projecting therefrom in the direction of the other insulator unit, a third insulator unit projecting upwardly between the first named insulator units and rigid with said one insulator unit, means pivoting the arm at its outer end on top of the third insulator unit for swinging movement of the arm in a vertical plane transversely of the length of the cross-arm, a link extending lengthwise of the arm and pivotally connected thereto relatively close to the pivot thereof whereby to impart a swinging movement to the arm upon longitudinal move ment of the link, a horizontal bellcrank pivoted on top of the third insulator unit beyond the link and in laterally offset relation to the pivot of the arm and to the link, one arm of the bellcrank being connected to the outer end of the link, means mounting the other insulator unit in the bracket for rotation about a horizontal axis at right angles to the length of the cross-arm, means including a depending push-pull rod to rotate said other insulator unit, and means between the other insulator unit and the other arm of the bellcrank to swing the bellcrank in one direction or the other upon rotation of said other insulator unit in one direction or the other.

5. A structure, as in claim 4, in which the last named means includes an upstanding pin rigid with said other insulator unit above the horizontal axis of rotation thereof and projecting through a longitudinal slot in the other arm of the bellcrank.

6. A pole-top switch including, with a bracket adapted to be mounted on a cross-arm of the pole and circuit-line supporting insulator units projecting in opposite directions from the bracket; a switch interposed between the circuit lines and including a fixed member on one insulator unit and a movable blade arranged for cooperation therewith, an arm rigid with the blade and projecting therefrom in the direction of the other insulator unit, an arm-supporting unit projecting upwardly from the bracket between the insulator units, means pivoting the arm at its outer end on top of the supporting unit for swinging movement of the arm in a vertical plane transversely of the length of the cross-arm, means mounting the other insulator unit for rotation at right angles to the length of the cross-arm, said other unit including a radial arm extending upwardly to a level approaching that of said arm pivoting means, and connection means between the first named arm and said radial arm at the upper end of the latter, functioning upon rotation of the other insulator unit from a predetermined position of the arm thereof to swing the first named arm in a direction to disengage the movable blade from the fixed member of the switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,748,752 Bowie Feb. 25, 1930 

1. A POLE-TOP SWITCH INCLUDING, WITH A BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A CROSS-ARM OF THE POLE, AND CIRCUIT-LINE SUPPORTING INSULATOR UNITS PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM THE BRACKET; A SWITCH INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE CIRCUIT LINES INCLUDING A FIXED MEMBER SUPPORTED FROM ONE SUCH UNIT AND A MOVABLE BLADE DISPOSED FOR COOPERATION THEREWITH, MEANS MOUNTING THE BLADE FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE TRANSVERSELY OF THE LENGTH OF THE CROSS-ARM BETWEEN SWITCH OPENING AND CLOSING POSITIONS, A BLADE SWINGING MECHANISM SUPPORTED FROM SAID ONE IN- 